When Is It Time to Replace a Toilet?

The lifespan of the average toilet is 100 years, but you probably won’t want to keep yours quite this long. Additionally, its main material – porcelain – is can be easy chipped and cracked, which can add to a faster demise should your toilet be mishandled. But there are other reasons to consider replacing your toilet and improving your bathroom plumbing.

Reason 1: It’s a water hog.

Low-flow toilets haven’t been around that long, compared to toilets in general. It wasn’t until the early-to-mid 1990s that low-flow toilets became an option for homeowners. As such, it isn’t uncommon for many homes to have older toilets that use a great deal of water to operate – upwards of 7 gallons per flush as compared to a maximum of 1.6 gallons with a low-flow toilet. If you’ve been looking for an easy way to reduce your water usage, an upgrade to a low-flow toilet may be the way to go.

Reason 2: It keeps clogging.

Toilet clogs are just unpleasant and not something a homeowner wants to deal with frequently. There can be a few reasons that a toilet keeps clogging, and if that reason is your toilet, it may be time to consider replacing it.

Reason 3: There are significant cracks in the porcelain.

While your toilet is a pretty sturdy item, damage can occur with the porcelain. Chips and cracks can lead to toilet leaks, which can lead to water damage. Chips and cracks can’t be repaired, so if you have concerning chips or cracks on your toilet, you may want to replace it before a large problem ensues.

Reason 4: Lots of repairs.

There are a number of components that allow your toilet to function as it does: the fill valve, the gasket, the flapper, etc. Replacing one of these parts isn’t usually a big deal, but if you find that many of the parts are breaking down at once, it may be wiser to spend your money on a new toilet.